Plugin install overrides

Plugin install overrides let maintainers test setup-time plugin installs against a specific npm package or local npm-pack tarball. They are for E2E and package validation only. Normal users should install plugins with openclaw plugins install.

# Environment

Overrides are disabled unless both variables are set:

export OPENCLAW_ALLOW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES=1
export OPENCLAW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES='{
  "codex": "npm-pack:/tmp/openclaw-codex-2026.5.8.tgz",
  "openclaw-web-search": "npm:@openclaw/[email protected]"
}'

The override map is JSON keyed by plugin id. Values support:

• npm:<registry-spec> for registry packages and exact versions or tags
• npm-pack:<path.tgz> for local tarballs produced by npm pack

Relative npm-pack: paths resolve from the current working directory.

# Behavior

When a setup-time flow asks to install a plugin whose id appears in the map, OpenClaw uses the override source instead of the catalog, bundled, or default npm source. This applies to onboarding and other flows that use the shared setup-time plugin installer.

Overrides still enforce the expected plugin id. A tarball mapped to codex must install a plugin whose manifest id is codex.

Overrides do not inherit official trusted-source status. Even when the catalog entry normally represents an OpenClaw-owned package, an override is treated as operator-supplied test input.

Workspace .env files cannot enable install overrides. Set these variables in the trusted shell, CI job, or remote test command that launches OpenClaw.

# Package E2E

Use an isolated state directory so package installs and install records do not touch your normal OpenClaw state:

npm pack extensions/codex --pack-destination /tmp

OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR="$(mktemp -d)" \
OPENCLAW_ALLOW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES=1 \
OPENCLAW_PLUGIN_INSTALL_OVERRIDES='{"codex":"npm-pack:/tmp/openclaw-codex-2026.5.8.tgz"}' \
pnpm openclaw onboard --mode local

Verify the installed package under the state directory:

find "$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/npm/node_modules" -maxdepth 3 -name package.json -print
grep -R '"@openclaw/codex"' "$OPENCLAW_STATE_DIR/npm/package-lock.json"

For live provider E2E, source the real API key from a trusted shell or CI secret before launching the test command. Do not print keys; report only the source and whether the key was present.